Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

*Book received from Around the World Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

My Thoughts:  I loved how different this book was from the first book in the series, Delirium!  It was completely unexpected and completely opposite of the first book!

Lena is in the Wilds all by herself.  Alex is gone and Lena has no idea what happened to him.  Well, she may have an idea but she doesn't want to think about it.  She is hurt and struggling in the cruel outside world until Raven finds her and takes her to the Homestead.  There Lena gets well and meets other Invalids.  There, Lena becomes part of the resistance. 

Lena is much harder in this book.  She is angry too.  Angry at her mom, angry at Alex, angry at the Regulators.  This makes her a much more interesting character.  I really connected with her in this book instead of the weak and wimpy Lena of the last book. 

Lena is told she must watch Julian Fineman, the son of the DFA leader, Thomas Fineman.  Julian hasn't had the cure yet due to an illness but is going to do it at the upcoming rally.  Lena is told to watch him during the rally no matter what and she does.  However, this leads to her kidnapping.

Throughout the book we are with Lena and Julian as they are first held hostage by the Scavengers, then escape and flee through the tunnels and finally towards the end where I won't say anything else to avoid spoilers.  Through the book, their relationship grows and while Lena doesn't forget Alex, she comes to have feelings for Julian. 

The book takes you back and forth from the present to "then" when Lena is with Raven and the group.  "Then" consists of their time at the first homestead and then their trek to the next homestead.  It leaves a lot left unanswered though like how do Lena, Raven and Tack get back into New York and infiltrate the Regulator's world.  However, I am hoping maybe that the third (and last) book will go into this a little more. 

I thought Pandemonium had a lot more action that Delirium.  It was more on edge and suspensful.  I read the last 200 pages in one day because I simply couldn't put it down.  I loved the relationship between Lena and Raven and Lena and Julian.  Their characters were all well-developed and I could connect to each one of them.

The ending leaves you screaming for more!  I won't divulge what happens but as soon as Book 3 is out, I am reading it to find out how Lena is going to get herself out of this mess! 

Book Review: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Title:  Liesl & Po

Author:  Lauren Oliver

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Publish Date:  October 4, 2011

Source:  Around The World ARC Tours

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

My Thoughts:  So, I must be honest here...when I started out with this book, I actually thought of just quitting about 1/4 of the way through and sending it on.  I'm swamped with ARC books right now plus getting my preschool set up plus getting my homeschool set up.  It wasn't really holding my attention all that much so I thought..."aw, what the heck...I'll just send it on".  Then I went to Goodreads and read some of the reviews (which were raving!) and decided I'd keep going.  I am so glad I did!  It was a magical story of hatred and love, enemies and friendship.  I couldn't put it down after I got over my crutch.

Will is a sweet boy.  He is honestly trying his hardest to do what the alchemist wants despite the fact that the alchemist constantly belittles him.  He is fascinated with the "girl in the attic" and detours his errand route just to see her. That is how he makes his dreadful mistake of leaving the "greatest magic in all the universe" with the man that supplies the alchemist and takes the box of a cremated man instead.  When the alchemist and Will take the box to the Lady Premeire all hell breaks loose!

Liesl is the "girl in the attic" that Will is so fascinated with.  She has been locked in the attic by her evil stepmother.  Her father has recently passed away and Liesl is all alone.  Until the one night when she meets Po and Bundle...the ghosts from the Other Side.  Liesl escapes her attic prison with the help of Po and they begin a crazy adventure to lay her father to rest at the willow tree.

I loved how Po was neither boy or girl and both boy and girl.  After spending so long in the Other Side, Po has become an essence instead of a body.  It is a black mass with a slight outline but no real body.  Bundle is also neither dog or cat and both.  In my opinion, Bundle would be the best pet...no accidents on the carpet, no food, no training...hmmmm....I think I like it! 

The friendships between Po and Liesl and Will and Liesl are very sweet and I loved watching them develop.  These are two children (and a ghost) that haven't been loved in a long time.  They have been alone for a long time and yet, when they find each other, there are no trust issues.  How nice to be a child again. 

The dark and grey world was very realistic to me.  I could see how everything was drab and grey with no color.  The explanation for this was awesome!

The only thing I didn't really like was why the old woman and the police officer followed Liesl and Will so far.  It just seemed silly that they would follow them off the train and on their journey just because the old woman thought Liesl was "mad in the head".  However, at the end, it was a good thing they were there!

This is a great book to read aloud to your child or your classroom.  It's got a great story, great lessons and fun, exciting story.  I'm very thankful I finished it!